Wowhead 101 - Using Filters!

I was in our Wowhead IRC Channel the other day, talking to some of our regulars, when someone asked "How do I find enchantments with X stat on them?" I was thinking about this, and I started to realize that Wowhead's filters are actually a surprisingly under-utilized feature. So, in the interest of making everyone's trip through Azeroth a little easier, I thought I'd take a minute to talk about the Wowhead filter system and how you can use it to find the info you need.

Class is now in session!

What are filters?

Filters are a way to further restrict items displayed on search pages. They can be used on items, npcs, spells, quests and achievements. Items especially have a amount of filtering options, which can make it pretty intimidating at times.

For our friend in IRC: How can I find enchantments with X stat on them?

Well, there are two options. First: you can use the "extended search" on the Enchanting Spells page. However this only allows you to restrict it by words in the spell description, like this search for all items with 'stamina' in the spell description.

Here's a fancy trick, though: the item filters are more powerful than the spell filters. With the addition of Inscription, they've added Scrolls for all enchantments. As such, you can use filters on the Item Enhancements (Permanent) page instead.

Lets say we wanted to search for all Enchantments that have more than 10 agility, and are usable on gloves: this filter will allow you to do just that. Lets get a little more complicated—lets make it so it can be Stamina OR Health on chest pieces: this filter works for that.

Now my favorite feature, WEIGHTINGS. Lets say we want to find the BEST chest enchant, focusing on health. Well, we know that stamina gives 10 health per point. So what we do is create a weighting with Stamina with a weighting of 10, and Health with a weighting of 1. This gives you this filter which now tells you exactly which are the best enchants to maximize your health.

This can be done with any item. There are lots of options for items, have a poke through them all!

How do I find the best quest rewards?

This is where filters start to really become powerful. Here is a filter I created that shows me the best rings for Paladins that are given from quests in Howling Fjord. You can further customize this by editing the weight scale, or (for example) requiring crit rating on your items.

How do I find the best drops?

What else can filters do?

The things filters can do are almost endless. Go poke around, we are constantly adding more and more filter options. If you have ever asked yourself "where can I find X item" or "X quest that gives X", a filter can probably do it. Drop a note and tell us what kind of cool filtering tricks you've come up with!

댓글

Thrakin의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T03:53:56-06:00

Good post - This should clear up some confusion.

Also first post.

mazil의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T05:48:07-06:00

That's a good guide! I'm not sure whether brand new wowheaders would be able to follow how you got to the first step though... maybe it would be good to have a screenshot or two that shows where to click right from the start? (eg. choosing a category from the "Database" dropdowns and the "Create a filter" link)

pyth3의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T06:05:09-06:00

I love the filter option, it is very handy, and very well programmed (like the rest of this site really - as a developer I'm a huge fan).

I'd love to be able to specify the join clauses, ie stuff like: (added in burning crusade and epic) or (added in wotlk). I do realize that might not be easy to make safe though, just thought I'd mention it.

acedanger의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T07:02:03-06:00

Wowhead really is an amazing way to research the game. I swear I spend more time on wowhead than I do in-game. I use the filters almost every time I come here. The filter truly are an amazing tool and very well implemented (and fast).

Kanio의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T08:18:59-06:00

I started using wowheads filter a month back or so when started to gem up for endgame raiding, it's very handy and it makes you find whatever you are looking for in a jiffy.

Soujiro89의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T10:10:55-06:00

I used wowhead filters, never had issues with them. The time I used them most was for finding PvP gear while leveling.

sabrefox의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T16:00:53-06:00

Think the only time I go "grrrrr" with the filters is the lack of being able to seperate the Dailies from regular quests. When I am working through Icecrown for the Achievement I have to keep looking beyond Dalies, wish you could filter those out :(

Rogershruber의 댓글

on 2009-02-03T19:49:56-06:00

Thanks for this one. It helped me a great deal.

(too many options for me =) )

mephisto17의 댓글

on 2009-02-04T08:55:08-06:00

The only problem I am having is with filtering permanent/temporary enchants on weapons and cloaks/shields/rings. there is no way we can do this for the moment.

Fingulfin의 댓글

mephisto17의 댓글

well yes, that is filtering by name, but it would be better if there were filtering by slot.

alpas의 댓글

on 2009-02-11T01:41:47-06:00

however, when i wanted to make a list of all faction-restricted cooking recipes - i couldnt do that with given filthering system and ended in opening all recipes 1 by 1, checking who's selling them or which quest rewards them.

blademeld의 댓글

on 2009-02-11T01:49:48-06:00

however, when i wanted to make a list of all faction-restricted cooking recipes

Last I checked there was no such thing, you can get your opposing faction's recipes via neutral AH.

alpas의 댓글

that was first i checked. but it gives only recipes that could be alliance quest rewards (and some of that quests are available to horde as well). but most of alliance-only recipes are not quest rewards, but sold by alliance-only vendors instead. same for horde.

and you cant filther them with wowhead filthering system.

blehh의 댓글

on 2010-01-11T05:44:37-06:00

To the powers that be,

I would like to see NOT options to the filters. Actually, the best method I can think to implement is as such: Right now, each filter has 2 drop downs, first is the type of filter, and the second is the value of that filter, some have "><=" as well, but we will ignore those. Just add a drop down to the very left of all of them with "AND" "OR" "NOT". So for example: we can say we want gear from <"heroic dungeons" or "10 man raids" or "vendors" not "purchasable through frost emblems"> And while at it, can we be given more than the current limit of I think 5 filters?

Ulfhedjinn의 댓글

on 2010-01-11T06:04:48-06:00

I love using the filters, etc. but I have trouble when I am looking for dungeon drops for my low-level (<60) alts. For some reason "from a dungeon (normal)" doesn't list lowbie dungeons.

If anyone could point me to the option that does, you have my thanks. ^^

Edit: Never mind, I just realised I could set it to BOP only and max level as 60. *Blush.*